ADNOC exports 6 million barrels through Strait of Hormuz with trackers off
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 7
ADNOC exports 6 million barrels through Strait of Hormuz with trackers off
8 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 7
In April, four tankers carried Upper Zakum and Das crude, with cargoes transferred in Sohar, stored at Ras Markaz and sent to Malaysia and South Korea.
The covert sailings show the UAE and buyers are accepting attack risks to move oil trapped by Iran's effective closure of the strait; ADNOC declined comment.
ADNOC has cut exports by more than 1 million barrels a day since the war began, while high prices and disrupted Gulf flows have pushed it to pursue further May sales.
Why are land-based pipelines failing to solve the crisis, forcing the UAE to risk war by sea in the Strait of Hormuz?
The UAE has quit OPEC and is defying Iran's blockade. Is this move undermining President Trump's fragile peace talks?
With war risk insurance void, is the UAE's secret oil gambit setting the stage for an even greater global economic disaster?
May 2026 Fujairah Drone Attack Cripples UAE Oil Exports, Triggering Global Oil Price Surge Above $115
Overview
In April and May 2026, Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and a major drone and missile attack on the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone severely disrupted the UAE's energy exports. The assault damaged ADNOC's oil export capacity and triggered widespread GPS jamming and maritime risks, while Iran claimed expanded naval control over key UAE ports. These actions caused sharp oil price spikes and prompted international condemnation. In response, ADNOC covertly maintained crude exports through ship-to-ship transfers and continued risky LNG shipments via the Strait. Following the UAE's exit from OPEC, ADNOC accelerated a $55 billion investment to boost production, balancing ambitious growth against ongoing regional instability and export challenges.